Ricoh’s patent for a 5.3-22mm f/2-3.5 lens (for 1/1.7″ sensor)

Ricoh filed patent 2012211956 in Japan for a 5.3-22mm f/2-3.5 lens designed for a 1/1.7" sensor (24-100mm equivalent). The lens design contains 11 elements in 8 groups, including two aspherical elements. This lens could be designed for the Pentax Q system, which has a 1/2.3" sensor, or for a new GXR module.

For a sensor this small they should really try and offer something that we don’t have already.
If they were to bulid ultra fast primes and zooms they would have a great low light camera on their hands. Like this, that thing is nothing more than a P&S with theaded hassle of interchangable lenses.

spam

Could be for Pentax Q, but 5.3mm wouldn’t be that wide on a 1/2.3″ sensor. Ricoh have made several 24-72mm equivalent models with 1/1.7″ sensor, and one GXR-module. I’d guess it’s for a replacement for the S10-module.http://www.ricoh.com/r_dc/gxr/unit2.html

Reader

I’d reckon that it’s the lens for the GR-D V and, perhaps, for a GXR module.

Zaph

How are all these lenses patentable? Surely they don’t all use some unique idea or feature, but are generally quite similar?